Measuring the availability of human resources for health and its relationship to universal health coverage for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Human resources for health (HRH) include a range of occupations that aim to promote or improve human health. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the WHO Health Workforce 2030 strategy have drawn attention to the importance of HRH for achieving policy priorities such as universal health coverage (UHC). Although previous research has found substantial global disparities in HRH, the absence of comparable cross-national estimates of existing workforces has hindered efforts to quantify workforce requirements to meet health system goals. We aimed to use comparable and standardised data sources to estimate HRH densities globally, and to examine the relationship between a subset of HRH cadres and UHC effective coverage performance. Methods: Through the International Labour Organization and Global Health Data Exchange databases, we identified 1404 country-years of data from labour force surveys and 69 country-years of census data, with detailed microdata on health-related employment. From the WHO National Health Workforce Accounts, we identified 2950 country-years of data. We mapped data from all occupational coding systems to the International Standard Classification of Occupations 1988 (ISCO-88), allowing for standardised estimation of densities for 16 categories of health workers across the full time series. Using data from 1990 to 2019 for 196 of 204 countries and territories, covering seven Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) super-regions and 21 regions, we applied spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) to model HRH densities from 1990 to 2019 for all countries and territories. We used stochastic frontier meta-regression to model the relationship between the UHC effective coverage index and densities for the four categories of health workers enumerated in SDG indicator 3.c.1 pertaining to HRH: physicians, nurses and midwives, dentistry personnel, and pharmaceutical personnel. We identified minimum workforce density thresholds required to meet a specified target of 80 out of 100 on the UHC effective coverage index, and quantified national shortages with respect to those minimum thresholds. Findings: We estimated that, in 2019, the world had 104·0 million (95% uncertainty interval 83·5–128·0) health workers, including 12·8 million (9·7–16·6) physicians, 29·8 million (23·3–37·7) nurses and midwives, 4·6 million (3·6–6·0) dentistry personnel, and 5·2 million (4·0–6·7) pharmaceutical personnel. We calculated a global physician density of 16·7 (12·6–21·6) per 10 000 population, and a nurse and midwife density of 38·6 (30·1–48·8) per 10 000 population. We found the GBD super-regions of sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, and north Africa and the Middle East had the lowest HRH densities. To reach 80 out of 100 on the UHC effective coverage index, we estimated that, per 10 000 population, at least 20·7 physicians, 70·6 nurses and midwives, 8·2 dentistry personnel, and 9·4 pharmaceutical personnel would be needed. In total, the 2019 national health workforces fell short of these minimum thresholds by 6·4 million physicians, 30·6 million nurses and midwives, 3·3 million dentistry personnel, and 2·9 million pharmaceutical personnel. Interpretation: Considerable expansion of the world's health workforce is needed to achieve high levels of UHC effective coverage. The largest shortages are in low-income settings, highlighting the need for increased financing and coordination to train, employ, and retain human resources in the health sector. Actual HRH shortages might be larger than estimated because minimum thresholds for each cadre of health workers are benchmarked on health systems that most efficiently translate human resources into UHC attainment

Erratum: Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Interpretation: By quantifying levels and trends in exposures to risk factors and the resulting disease burden, this assessment offers insight into where past policy and programme efforts might have been successful and highlights current priorities for public health action. Decreases in behavioural, environmental, and occupational risks have largely offset the effects of population growth and ageing, in relation to trends in absolute burden. Conversely, the combination of increasing metabolic risks and population ageing will probably continue to drive the increasing trends in non-communicable diseases at the global level, which presents both a public health challenge and opportunity. We see considerable spatiotemporal heterogeneity in levels of risk exposure and risk-attributable burden. Although levels of development underlie some of this heterogeneity, O/E ratios show risks for which countries are overperforming or underperforming relative to their level of development. As such, these ratios provide a benchmarking tool to help to focus local decision making. Our findings reinforce the importance of both risk exposure monitoring and epidemiological research to assess causal connections between risks and health outcomes, and they highlight the usefulness of the GBD study in synthesising data to draw comprehensive and robust conclusions that help to inform good policy and strategic health planning

Population and fertility by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background: Population estimates underpin demographic and epidemiological research and are used to track progress on numerous international indicators of health and development. To date, internationally available estimates of population and fertility, although useful, have not been produced with transparent and replicable methods and do not use standardised estimates of mortality. We present single-calendar year and single-year of age estimates of fertility and population by sex with standardised and replicable methods. Methods: We estimated population in 195 locations by single year of age and single calendar year from 1950 to 2017 with standardised and replicable methods. We based the estimates on the demographic balancing equation, with inputs of fertility, mortality, population, and migration data. Fertility data came from 7817 location-years of vital registration data, 429 surveys reporting complete birth histories, and 977 surveys and censuses reporting summary birth histories. We estimated age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs; the annual number of livebirths to women of a specified age group per 1000 women in that age group) by use of spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression and used the ASFRs to estimate total fertility rates (TFRs; the average number of children a woman would bear if she survived through the end of the reproductive age span [age 10–54 years] and experienced at each age a particular set of ASFRs observed in the year of interest). Because of sparse data, fertility at ages 10–14 years and 50–54 years was estimated from data on fertility in women aged 15–19 years and 45–49 years, through use of linear regression. Age-specific mortality data came from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 estimates. Data on population came from 1257 censuses and 761 population registry location-years and were adjusted for underenumeration and age misreporting with standard demographic methods. Migration was estimated with the GBD Bayesian demographic balancing model, after incorporating information about refugee migration into the model prior. Final population estimates used the cohort-component method of population projection, with inputs of fertility, mortality, and migration data. Population uncertainty was estimated by use of out-of-sample predictive validity testing. With these data, we estimated the trends in population by age and sex and in fertility by age between 1950 and 2017 in 195 countries and territories. Findings: From 1950 to 2017, TFRs decreased by 49\ub74% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 46\ub74–52\ub70). The TFR decreased from 4\ub77 livebirths (4\ub75–4\ub79) to 2\ub74 livebirths (2\ub72–2\ub75), and the ASFR of mothers aged 10–19 years decreased from 37 livebirths (34–40) to 22 livebirths (19–24) per 1000 women. Despite reductions in the TFR, the global population has been increasing by an average of 83\ub78 million people per year since 1985. The global population increased by 197\ub72% (193\ub73–200\ub78) since 1950, from 2\ub76 billion (2\ub75–2\ub76) to 7\ub76 billion (7\ub74–7\ub79) people in 2017; much of this increase was in the proportion of the global population in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The global annual rate of population growth increased between 1950 and 1964, when it peaked at 2\ub70%; this rate then remained nearly constant until 1970 and then decreased to 1\ub71% in 2017. Population growth rates in the southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania GBD super-region decreased from 2\ub75% in 1963 to 0\ub77% in 2017, whereas in sub-Saharan Africa, population growth rates were almost at the highest reported levels ever in 2017, when they were at 2\ub77%. The global average age increased from 26\ub76 years in 1950 to 32\ub71 years in 2017, and the proportion of the population that is of working age (age 15–64 years) increased from 59\ub79% to 65\ub73%. At the national level, the TFR decreased in all countries and territories between 1950 and 2017; in 2017, TFRs ranged from a low of 1\ub70 livebirths (95% UI 0\ub79–1\ub72) in Cyprus to a high of 7\ub71 livebirths (6\ub78–7\ub74) in Niger. The TFR under age 25 years (TFU25; number of livebirths expected by age 25 years for a hypothetical woman who survived the age group and was exposed to current ASFRs) in 2017 ranged from 0\ub708 livebirths (0\ub707–0\ub709) in South Korea to 2\ub74 livebirths (2\ub72–2\ub76) in Niger, and the TFR over age 30 years (TFO30; number of livebirths expected for a hypothetical woman ageing from 30 to 54 years who survived the age group and was exposed to current ASFRs) ranged from a low of 0\ub73 livebirths (0\ub73–0\ub74) in Puerto Rico to a high of 3\ub71 livebirths (3\ub70–3\ub72) in Niger. TFO30 was higher than TFU25 in 145 countries and territories in 2017. 33 countries had a negative population growth rate from 2010 to 2017, most of which were located in central, eastern, and western Europe, whereas population growth rates of more than 2\ub70% were seen in 33 of 46 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, less than 65% of the national population was of working age in 12 of 34 high-income countries, and less than 50% of the national population was of working age in Mali, Chad, and Niger. Interpretation: Population trends create demographic dividends and headwinds (ie, economic benefits and detriments) that affect national economies and determine national planning needs. Although TFRs are decreasing, the global population continues to grow as mortality declines, with diverse patterns at the national level and across age groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide transparent and replicable estimates of population and fertility, which can be used to inform decision making and to monitor progress. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Gender differences in respiratory symptoms in 19-year-old adults born preterm

Objective: To study the prevalence of respiratory and atopic symptoms in (young) adults born prematurely, differences between those who did and did not develop Bronchopulmonary Disease (BPD) at neonatal age and differences in respiratory health between males and females. Methods: Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Nation wide follow-up study, the Netherlands. Participants: 690 adults (19 year old) born with a gestational age below 32 completed weeks and/or with a birth weight less than 1500g. Controls were Dutch participants of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). Main outcome measures: Presence of wheeze, shortness of breath, asthma, hay fever and eczema using the ECRHS-questionnaire

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Global perspective of familial hypercholesterolaemia: a cross-sectional study from the EAS Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC)

none724siBackground The European Atherosclerosis Society Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC) global registry provides a platform for the global surveillance of familial hypercholesterolaemia through harmonisation and pooling of multinational data. In this study, we aimed to characterise the adult population with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia and described how it is detected and managed globally.Methods Using FHSC global registry data, we did a cross-sectional assessment of adults (aged 18 years or older) with a clinical or genetic diagnosis of probable or definite heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia at the time they were entered into the registries. Data were assessed overall and by WHO regions, sex, and index versus non-index cases.Findings Of the 61 612 individuals in the registry, 42 167 adults (21 999 [53.6%] women) from 56 countries were included in the study. Of these, 31 798 (75.4%) were diagnosed with the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network criteria, and 35 490 (84.2%) were from the WHO region of Europe. Median age of participants at entry in the registry was 46.2 years (IQR 34.3-58.0); median age at diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia was 44.4 years (32.5-56.5), with 40.2% of participants younger than 40 years when diagnosed. Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors increased progressively with age and varied by WHO region. Prevalence of coronary disease was 17.4% (2.1% for stroke and 5.2% for peripheral artery disease), increasing with concentrations of untreated LDL cholesterol, and was about two times lower in women than in men. Among patients receiving lipid-lowering medications, 16 803 (81.1%) were receiving statins and 3691 (21.2%) were on combination therapy, with greater use of more potent lipid-lowering medication in men than in women. Median LDL cholesterol was 5.43 mmol/L (IQR 4.32-6.72) among patients not taking lipid-lowering medications and 4.23 mmol/L (3.20-5.66) among those taking them. Among patients taking lipid-lowering medications, 2.7% had LDL cholesterol lower than 1.8 mmol/L; the use of combination therapy, particularly with three drugs and with proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 inhibitors, was associated with a higher proportion and greater odds of having LDL cholesterol lower than 1.8 mmol/L. Compared with index cases, patients who were non-index cases were younger, with lower LDL cholesterol and lower prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases (all p<0.001).Interpretation Familial hypercholesterolaemia is diagnosed late. Guideline-recommended LDL cholesterol concentrations are infrequently achieved with single-drug therapy. Cardiovascular risk factors and presence of coronary disease were lower among non-index cases, who were diagnosed earlier. Earlier detection and greater use of combination therapies are required to reduce the global burden of familial hypercholesterolaemia. Copyright (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.mixedVallejo-Vaz, Antonio J.; Stevens, Christophe A.T.; Lyons, Alexander R.M.; Dharmayat, Kanika I.; Freiberger, Tomas; Hovingh, G. Kees; Mata, Pedro; Raal, Frederick J.; Santos, Raul D.; Soran, Handrean; Watts, Gerald F.; Abifadel, Marianne; Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A.; Alhabib, Khalid F.; Alkhnifsawi, Mutaz; Almahmeed, Wael; Alnouri, Fahad; Alonso, Rodrigo; Al-Rasadi, Khalid; Al-Sarraf, Ahmad; Al-Sayed, Nasreen; Araujo, Francisco; Ashavaid, Tester F.; Banach, Maciej; Béliard, Sophie; Benn, Marianne; Binder, Christoph J.; Bogsrud, Martin P.; Bourbon, Mafalda; Chlebus, Krzysztof; Corral, Pablo; Davletov, Kairat; Descamps, Olivier S.; Durst, Ronen; Ezhov, Marat; Gaita, Dan; Genest, Jacques; Groselj, Urh; Harada-Shiba, Mariko; Holven, Kirsten B.; Kayikcioglu, Meral; Khovidhunkit, Weerapan; Lalic, Katarina; Latkovskis, Gustavs; Laufs, Ulrich; Liberopoulos, Evangelos; Lima-Martinez, Marcos M.; Lin, Jie; Maher, Vincent; Marais, A. David; März, Winfried; Mirrakhimov, Erkin; Miserez, André R.; Mitchenko, Olena; Nawawi, Hapizah; Nordestgaard, Børge G.; Panayiotou, Andrie G.; Paragh, György; Petrulioniene, Zaneta; Pojskic, Belma; Postadzhiyan, Arman; Raslova, Katarina; Reda, Ashraf; Reiner, Željko; Sadiq, Fouzia; Sadoh, Wilson Ehidiamen; Schunkert, Heribert; Shek, Aleksandr B.; Stoll, Mario; Stroes, Erik; Su, Ta-Chen; Subramaniam, Tavintharan; Susekov, Andrey V.; Tilney, Myra; Tomlinson, Brian; Truong, Thanh Huong; Tselepis, Alexandros D.; Tybjærg-Hansen, Anne; Vázquez Cárdenas, Alejandra; Viigimaa, Margus; Wang, Luya; Yamashita, Shizuya; Kastelein, John J.P.; Bruckert, Eric; Vohnout, Branislav; Schreier, Laura; Pang, Jing; Ebenbichler, Christoph; Dieplinger, Hans; Innerhofer, Reinhold; Winhofer-Stöckl, Yvonne; Greber-Platzer, Susanne; Krychtiuk, Konstantin; Speidl, Walter; Toplak, Hermann; Widhalm, Kurt; Stulnig, Thomas; Huber, Kurt; Höllerl, Florian; Rega-Kaun, Gersina; Kleemann, Lucas; Mäser, Martin; Scholl-Bürgi, Sabine; Säly, Christoph; Mayer, Florian J.; Sablon, Gaelle; Tarantino, Eric; Nzeyimana, Charlotte; Pojskic, Lamija; Sisic, Ibrahim; Nalbantic, Azra D.; Jannes, Cinthia E.; Pereira, Alexandre C.; Krieger, Jose E.; Petrov, Ivo; Goudev, Assen; Nikolov, Fedya; Tisheva, Snejana; Yotov, Yoto; Tzvetkov, Ivajlo; Baass, Alexis; Bergeron, Jean; Bernard, Sophie; Brisson, Diane; Brunham, Liam R.; Cermakova, Lubomira; Couture, Patrick; Francis, Gordon A.; Gaudet, Daniel; Hegele, Robert A.; Khoury, Etienne; Mancini, G.B. John; McCrindle, Brian W.; Paquette, Martine; Ruel, Isabelle; Cuevas, Ada; Asenjo, Sylvia; Wang, Xumin; Meng, Kang; Song, Xiantao; Yong, Qiang; Jiang, Tao; Liu, Ziyou; Duan, Yanyu; Hong, Jing; Ye, Pucong; Chen, Yan; Qi, Jianguang; Liu, Zesen; Li, Yuntao; Zhang, Chaoyi; Peng, Jie; Yang, Ya; Yu, Wei; Wang, Qian; Yuan, Hui; Cheng, Shitong; Jiang, Long; Chong, Mei; Jiao, Jian; Wu, Yue; Wen, Wenhui; Xu, Liyuan; Zhang, Ruiying; Qu, Yichen; He, Jianxun; Fan, Xuesong; Wang, Zhenjia; Chow, Elaine; Pećin, Ivan; Perica, Dražen; Symeonides, Phivos; Vrablik, Michal; Ceska, Richard; Soska, Vladimir; Tichy, Lukas; Adamkova, Vera; Franekova, Jana; Cifkova, Renata; Kraml, Pavel; Vonaskova, Katerina; Cepova, Jana; Dusejovska, Magdalena; Pavlickova, Lenka; Blaha, Vladimir; Rosolova, Hana; Nussbaumerova, Barbora; Cibulka, Roman; Vaverkova, Helena; Cibickova, Lubica; Krejsova, Zdenka; Rehouskova, Katerina; Malina, Pavel; Budikova, Milena; Palanova, Vaclava; Solcova, Lucie; Lubasova, Alena; Podzimkova, Helena; Bujdak, Juraj; Vesely, Jiri; Jordanova, Marta; Salek, Tomas; Urbanek, Robin; Zemek, Stanislav; Lacko, Jan; Halamkova, Hana; Machacova, Sona; Mala, Sarka; Cubova, Eva; Valoskova, Katerina; Burda, Lukas; Bendary, Ahmed; Daoud, Ihab; Emil, Sameh; Elbahry, Atef; Rafla, Samir; Sanad, Osama; Kazamel, Ghada; Ashraf, Mohamed; Sobhy, Mohamed; El-Hadidy, Amro; Shafy, Mohamed A.; Kamal, Saif; Bendary, Mohamed; Talviste, Grete; Angoulvant, Denis; Boccara, Franck; Cariou, Bertrand; Carreau, Valérie; Carrie, Alain; Charrieres, Sybil; Cottin, Yves; Di-Fillipo, Mathilde; Ducluzeau, Pierre H.; Dulong, Sonia; Durlach, Vincent; Farnier, Michel; Ferrari, Emile; Ferrieres, Dorota; Ferrieres, Jean; Gallo, Antonio; hankard, Regis; Inamo, Jocelyne; Lemale, Julie; Moulin, Philippe; Paillard, François; Peretti, Noel; Perrin, Agnès; Pradignac, Alain; Rabes, Jean P.; Rigalleau, Vincent; Sultan, Ariane; Schiele, François; Tounian, Patrick; Valero, René; Verges, Bruno; Yelnik, Cécile; Ziegler, Olivier; Haack, Ira A.; Schmidt, Nina; Dressel, Alexander; Klein, Isabel; Christmann, Jutta; Sonntag, Antonia; Stumpp, Christine; Boger, Diana; Biedermann, Dana; Usme, Monica M.N.; Beil, F. Ulrich; Klose, Gerald; König, Christel; Gouni-Berthold, Ioanna; Otte, Britta; Böll, Gereon; Kirschbaum, Anja; Merke, Jürgen; Scholl, Johannes; Segiet, Thomas; Gebauer, Marco; Predica, Florentina; Mayer, Manfred; Leistikow, Frank; Füllgraf-Horst, Sabine; Müller, Cornelius; Schüler, Melanie; Wiener, Judith; Hein, Konrad; Baumgartner, Peter; Kopf, Stefan; Busch, Reinhold; Schömig, Michael; Matthias, Stephan; Allendorf-Ostwald, Nicole; Fink, Bruno; Böhm, Dieter; Jäkel, Alexander; Koschker, Ann-Cathrin; Schweizer, Rüdiger; Vogt, Anja; Parhofer, Klaus; König, Wolfgang; Reinhard, Wibke; Bäßler, Andrea; Stadelmann, Alexander; Schrader, Volker; Katzmann, Julius; Tarr, Adrienne; Steinhagen-Thiessen, Elisabeth; Kassner, Ursula; Paulsen, Gerret; Homberger, Jürgen; Zemmrich, Claudia; Seeger, Wolfgang; Biolik, Kathrin; Deiss, Dorothee; Richter, Corinna; Pantchechnikova, Elina; Dorn, Elena; Schatz, Ulrike; Julius, Ulrich; Spens, Antje; Wiesner, Tobias; Scholl, Michael; Rizos, Christos V.; Sakkas, Nikolaos; Elisaf, Moses; Skoumas, Ioannis; Tziomalos, Konstantinos; Rallidis, Loukianos; Kotsis, Vasileios; Doumas, Michalis; Athyros, Vasileios; Skalidis, Emmanouil; Kolovou, Genovefa; Garoufi, Anastasia; Bilianou, Eleni; Koutagiar, Iosif; Agapakis, Dimitrios; Kiouri, Estela; Antza, Christina; Katsiki, Niki; Zacharis, Evangelos; Attilakos, Achilleas; Sfikas, George; Koumaras, Charalambos; Anagnostis, Panagiotis; Anastasiou, Georgia; Liamis, George; Koutsogianni, Amalia-Despoina; Karányi, Zsolt; Harangi, Mariann; Bajnok, László; Audikovszky, Mária; Márk, László; Benczúr, Béla; Reiber, István; Nagy, Gergely; Nagy, András; Reddy, Lakshmi L.; Shah, Swarup A.V.; Ponde, Chandrashekhar K.; Dalal, Jamshed J.; Sawhney, Jitendra P.S.; Verma, Ishwar C.; Altaey, Mays; Al-Jumaily, Khalid; Rasul, Dilshad; Abdalsahib, Ali F.; Jabbar, Amer A.; Al-ageedi, Mohanad; Agar, Ruth; Cohen, Hofit; Ellis, Avishay; Gavishv, Dov; Harats, Dror; Henkin, Yaacov; Knobler, Hila; Leavit, Leah; Leitersdorf, Eran; Rubinstein, Ardon; Schurr, Daniel; Shpitzen, Shoshi; Szalat, Auryan; Casula, Manuela; Zampoleri, Veronica; Gazzotti, Marta; Olmastroni, Elena; Sarzani, Riccardo; Ferri, Claudio; Repetti, Elena; Sabbà, Carlo; Bossi, Antonio Carlo; Borghi, Claudio; Muntoni, Sandro; Cipollone, Francesco; Purrello, Francesco; Pujia, Arturo; Passaro, Angelina; Marcucci, Rossella; Pecchioli, Valerio; Pisciotta, Livia; Mandraffino, Giuseppe; Pellegatta, Fabio; Mombelli, Giuliana; Branchi, Adriana; Fiorenza, Anna Maria; Pederiva, Cristina; Werba, Josè Pablo; Parati, Gianfranco; Carubbi, Francesca; Iughetti, Lorenzo; Iannuzzi, Arcangelo; Iannuzzo, Gabriella; Calabrò, Paolo; Averna, Maurizio; Biasucci, Giacomo; Zambon, Sabina; Roscini, Anna Rita; Trenti, Chiara; Arca, Marcello; Federici, Massimo; Del Ben, Maria; Bartuli, Andrea; Giaccari, Andrea; Pipolo, Antonio; Citroni, Nadia; Guardamagna, Ornella; Bonomo, Katia; Benso, Andrea; Biolo, Gianni; Maroni, Lorenzo; Lupi, Alessandro; Bonanni, Luca; Zenti, Maria Grazia; Matsuki, Kota; Hori, Mika; Ogura, Masatsune; Masuda, Daisaku; Kobayashi, Takuya; Nagahama, Kumiko; Al-Jarallah, Mohammed; Radovic, Mirjana; Lunegova, Olga; Bektasheva, Erkayim; Khodzhiboboev, Elyor; Erglis, Andrejs; Gilis, Dainus; Nesterovics, Georgijs; Saripo, Vita; Meiere, Ruta; Upena-RozeMicena, Arta; Terauda, Elizabete; Jambart, Selim; Khoury, Petra E.; Elbitar, Sandy; Ayoub, Carine; Ghaleb, Youmna; Aliosaitiene, Urte; Kutkiene, Sandra; Kasim, Noor A.M.; Nor, Noor S.M.; Ramli, Anis S.; Razak, Suraya A.; Al-Khateeb, Alyaa; Kadir, Siti H.S.A.; Muid, Suhaila A.; Rahman, Thuhairah A.; Kasim, Sazzli S.; Radzi, Ahmad B.M.; Ibrahim, Khairul S.; Razali, Salmi; Ismail, Zaliha; Ghani, Rohana A.; Hafidz, Muhammad I.A.; Chua, Ang L.; Rosli, Marshima M.; Annamalai, Muthukkaruppan; Teh, Lay K.; Razali, Rafezah; Chua, Yung A.; Rosman, Azhari; Sanusi, Abdul R.; Murad, Nor A.A.; Jamal, A. Rahman A.; Nazli, Sukma A.; Razman, Aimi Z.; Rosman, Norhidayah; Rahmat, Radzi; Hamzan, Nur S.; Azzopardi, C.; Mehta, Roopa; Martagon, Alexandro J.; Ramirez, Gabriela A.G.; Villa, Neftali E.A.; Vazquez, Arsenio V.; Elias-Lopez, Daniel; Retana, Gustavo G.; Rodriguez, Betsabel; Macías, Jose J.C.; Zazueta, Alejandro R.; Alvarado, Rocio M.; Portano, Julieta D.M.; Lopez, Humberto A.; Sauque-Reyna, Leobardo; Herrera, Laura G.G.; Mendia, Luis E.S.; Aguilar, Humberto Garcia; Cooremans, Elizabeth R.; Aparicio, Berenice P.; Zubieta, Victoria M.; Gonzalez, Perla A.C.; Ferreira-Hermosillo, Aldo; Portilla, Nacu C.; Dominguez, Guadalupe J.; Garcia, Alinna Y.R.; Cazares, Hector E.A.; Gonzalez, Jesus R.; Valencia, Carla V.M.; Padilla, Francisco G.; Prado, Ramon M.; De los Rios Ibarra, Manuel O.; Villicaña, Ruy D.A.; Rivera, Karina J.A.; Carrera, Ricardo A.; Alvarez, Jose A.; Martinez, Jose C.A.; de los Reyes Barrera Bustillo, Manuel; Vargas, Gonzalo C.; Chacon, Roberto C.; Andrade, Mario H.F.; Ortega, Ashanty F.; Alcala, Hector G.; de Leon, Laura E.G.; Guzman, Berenice G.; Garcia, Jose J.G.; Cuellar, Juan C.G.; Cruz, Jose R.G.; Garcia, Anell Hernandez; Almada, Jesus R.H.; Herrera, Ursulo J.; Sobrevilla, Fabiola L.; Rodriguez, Eduardo M.; Sibaja, Cristina M.; Rodriguez, Alma B.M.; Oyervides, Jose C.M.; Vazquez, Daniel I.P.; Rodriguez, Eduardo A.R.; Osorio, Ma L.R.; Saucedo, Juan R.; Tamayo, Margarita T.; Talavera, Luis A.V.; Arroyo, Luis E.V.; Carrillo, Eloy A.Z.; Isara, Alphonsus; Obaseki, Darlington E.; Al-Waili, Khalid; Al-Zadjali, Fahad; Al-Zakwani, Ibrahim; Al-Kindi, Mohammed; Al-Mukhaini, Suad; Al-Barwani, Hamida; Rana, Asim; Shah, Lahore S.U.; Starostecka, Ewa; Konopka, Agnieszka; Lewek, Joanna; Bartłomiejczyk, Marcin; Gąsior, Mariusz; Dyrbuś, Krzysztof; Jóźwiak, Jacek; Gruchała, Marcin; Pajkowski, Marcin; Romanowska-Kocejko, Marzena; Żarczyńska-Buchowiecka, Marta; Chmara, Magdalena; Wasąg, Bartosz; Parczewska, Aleksandra; Gilis-Malinowska, Natasza; Borowiec-Wolna, Justyna; Stróżyk, Aneta; Woś, Marlena; Michalska-Grzonkowska, Aleksandra; Medeiros, Ana M.; Alves, Ana C.; Silva, Francisco; Lobarinhas, Goreti; Palma, Isabel; de Moura, Jose P.; Rico, Miguel T.; Rato, Quitéria; Pais, Patrícia; Correia, Susana; Moldovan, Oana; Virtuoso, Maria J.; Salgado, Jose M.; Colaço, Ines; Dumitrescu, Andreea; Lengher, Calin; Mosteoru, Svetlana; Meshkov, Alexey; Ershova, Alexandra; Rozkova, Tatiana; Korneva, Victoria; Yu, Kuznetsova T.; Zafiraki, Vitaliy; Voevoda, Mikhail; Gurevich, Victor; Duplyakov, Dmitry; Ragino, Yulia; Safarova, Maya; Shaposhnik, Igor; Alkaf, Fahmi; Khudari, Alia; Rwaili, Nawal; Al-Allaf, Faisal; Alghamdi, Mohammad; Batais, Mohammed A.; Almigbal, Turky H.; Kinsara, Abdulhalim; AlQudaimi, Ashraf H.A.; Awan, Zuhier; Elamin, Omer A.; Altaradi, Hani; Rajkovic, Natasa; Popovic, Ljiljana; Singh, Sandra; Stosic, Ljubica; Rasulic, Iva; Lalic, Nebojsa M.; Lam, Carolyn; Le, Tan J.; Siang, Eric L.T.; Dissanayake, Sanjaya; I-Shing, Justin T.; Shyong, Tai E.; Jin, Terrance C.S.; Balinth, Karin; Buganova, Ingrid; Fabryova, Lubomira; Kadurova, Michaela; Klabnik, Alexander; Kozárová, Miriam; Sirotiakova, Jana; Battelino, Tadej; Kovac, Jernej; Mlinaric, Matej; Sustar, Ursa; Podkrajsek, Katarina T.; Fras, Zlatko; Jug, Borut; Cevc, Matija; Pilcher, Gillian J.; Blom, D.J.; Wolmarans, K.H.; Brice, B.C.; Muñiz-Grijalvo, Ovidio; Díaz-Díaz, Jose L.; de Isla, Leopoldo P.; Fuentes, Francisco; Badimon, Lina; Martin, François; Lux, Angela; Chang, Nien-Tzu; Ganokroj, Poranee; Akbulut, Mehmet; Alici, Gökhan; Bayram, Fahri; Can, Levent H.; Celik, Ahmet; Ceyhan, Ceyhun; Coskun, Fatma Y.; Demir, Mesut; Demircan, Sabri; Dogan, Volkan; Durakoglugil, Emre; Dural, Ibrahim E.; Gedikli, Omer; Hacioglu, Aysa; Ildizli, Muge; Kilic, Salih; Kirilmaz, Bahadir; Kutlu, Merih; Oguz, Aytekin; Ozdogan, Oner; Onrat, Ersel; Ozer, Savas; Sabuncu, Tevfik; Sahin, Tayfun; Sivri, Fatih; Sonmez, Alper; Temizhan, Ahmet; Topcu, Selim; Tuncez, Abdullah; Vural, Mirac; Yenercag, Mustafa; Yesilbursa, Dilek; Yigit, Zerrin; Yildirim, Aytul B.; Yildirir, Aylin; Yilmaz, Mehmet B.; Atallah, Bassam; Traina, Mahmoud; Sabbour, Hani; Hay, Dana A.; Luqman, Neama; Elfatih, Abubaker; Abdulrasheed, Arshad; Kwok, See; Oca, Nicolas D.; Reyes, Ximena; Alieva, Rano B.; Kurbanov, Ravshanbek D.; Hoshimov, Shavkat U.; Nizamov, Ulugbek I.; Ziyaeva, Adolat V.; Abdullaeva, Guzal J.; Do, Doan L.; Nguyen, Mai N.T.; Kim, Ngoc T.; Le, Thanh T.; Le, Hong A.; Tokgozoglu, Lale; Catapano, Alberico L.; Ray, Kausik K.Vallejo-Vaz, Antonio J.; Stevens, Christophe A. T.; Lyons, Alexander R. M.; Dharmayat, Kanika I.; Freiberger, Tomas; Hovingh, G. Kees; Mata, Pedro; Raal, Frederick J.; Santos, Raul D.; Soran, Handrean; Watts, Gerald F.; Abifadel, Marianne; Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A.; Alhabib, Khalid F.; Alkhnifsawi, Mutaz; Almahmeed, Wael; Alnouri, Fahad; Alonso, Rodrigo; Al-Rasadi, Khalid; Al-Sarraf, Ahmad; Al-Sayed, Nasreen; Araujo, Francisco; Ashavaid, Tester F.; Banach, Maciej; Béliard, Sophie; Benn, Marianne; Binder, Christoph J.; Bogsrud, Martin P.; Bourbon, Mafalda; Chlebus, Krzysztof; Corral, Pablo; Davletov, Kairat; Descamps, Olivier S.; Durst, Ronen; Ezhov, Marat; Gaita, Dan; Genest, Jacques; Groselj, Urh; Harada-Shiba, Mariko; Holven, Kirsten B.; Kayikcioglu, Meral; Khovidhunkit, Weerapan; Lalic, Katarina; Latkovskis, Gustavs; Laufs, Ulrich; Liberopoulos, Evangelos; Lima-Martinez, Marcos M.; Lin, Jie; Maher, Vincent; Marais, A. David; März, Winfried; Mirrakhimov, Erkin; Miserez, André R.; Mitchenko, Olena; Nawawi, Hapizah; Nordestgaard, Børge G.; Panayiotou, Andrie G.; Paragh, György; Petrulioniene, Zaneta; Pojskic, Belma; Postadzhiyan, Arman; Raslova, Katarina; Reda, Ashraf; Reiner, Željko; Sadiq, Fouzia; Sadoh, Wilson Ehidiamen; Schunkert, Heribert; Shek, Aleksandr B.; Stoll, Mario; Stroes, Erik; Su, Ta-Chen; Subramaniam, Tavintharan; Susekov, Andrey V.; Tilney, Myra; Tomlinson, Brian; Truong, Thanh Huong; Tselepis, Alexandros D.; Tybjærg-Hansen, Anne; Vázquez Cárdenas, Alejandra; Viigimaa, Margus; Wang, Luya; Yamashita, Shizuya; Kastelein, John J. P.; Bruckert, Eric; Vohnout, Branislav; Schreier, Laura; Pang, Jing; Ebenbichler, Christoph; Dieplinger, Hans; Innerhofer, Reinhold; Winhofer-Stöckl, Yvonne; Greber-Platzer, Susanne; Krychtiuk, Konstantin; Speidl, Walter; Toplak, Hermann; Widhalm, Kurt; Stulnig, Thomas; Huber, Kurt; Höllerl, Florian; Rega-Kaun, Gersina; Kleemann, Lucas; Mäser, Martin; Scholl-Bürgi, Sabine; Säly, Christoph; Mayer, Florian J.; Sablon, Gaelle; Tarantino, Eric; Nzeyimana, Charlotte; Pojskic, Lamija; Sisic, Ibrahim; Nalbantic, Azra D.; Jannes, Cinthia E.; Pereira, Alexandre C.; Krieger, Jose E.; Petrov, Ivo; Goudev, Assen; Nikolov, Fedya; Tisheva, Snejana; Yotov, Yoto; Tzvetkov, Ivajlo; Baass, Alexis; Bergeron, Jean; Bernard, Sophie; Brisson, Diane; Brunham, Liam R.; Cermakova, Lubomira; Couture, Patrick; Francis, Gordon A.; Gaudet, Daniel; Hegele, Robert A.; Khoury, Etienne; Mancini, G. B. John; Mccrindle, Brian W.; Paquette, Martine; Ruel, Isabelle; Cuevas, Ada; Asenjo, Sylvia; Wang, Xumin; Meng, Kang; Song, Xiantao; Yong, Qiang; Jiang, Tao; Liu, Ziyou; Duan, Yanyu; Hong, Jing; Ye, Pucong; Chen, Yan; Qi, Jianguang; Liu, Zesen; Li, Yuntao; Zhang, Chaoyi; Peng, Jie; Yang, Ya; Yu, Wei; Wang, Qian; Yuan, Hui; Cheng, Shitong; Jiang, Long; Chong, Mei; Jiao, Jian; Wu, Yue; Wen, Wenhui; Xu, Liyuan; Zhang, Ruiying; Qu, Yichen; He, Jianxun; Fan, Xuesong; Wang, Zhenjia; Chow, Elaine; Pećin, Ivan; Perica, Dražen; Symeonides, Phivos; Vrablik, Michal; Ceska, Richard; Soska, Vladimir; Tichy, Lukas; Adamkova, Vera; Franekova, Jana; Cifkova, Renata; Kraml, Pavel; Vonaskova, Katerina; Cepova, Jana; Dusejovska, Magdalena; Pavlickova, Lenka; Blaha, Vladimir; Rosolova, Hana; Nussbaumerova, Barbora; Cibulka, Roman; Vaverkova, Helena; Cibickova, Lubica; Krejsova, Zdenka; Rehouskova, Katerina; Malina, Pavel; Budikova, Milena; Palanova, Vaclava; Solcova, Lucie; Lubasova, Alena; Podzimkova, Helena; Bujdak, Juraj; Vesely, Jiri; Jordanova, Marta; Salek, Tomas; Urbanek, Robin; Zemek, Stanislav; Lacko, Jan; Halamkova, Hana; Machacova, Sona; Mala, Sarka; Cubova, Eva; Valoskova, Katerina; Burda, Lukas; Bendary, Ahmed; Daoud, Ihab; Emil, Sameh; Elbahry, Atef; Rafla, Samir; Sanad, Osama; Kazamel, Ghada; Ashraf, Mohamed; Sobhy, Mohamed; El-Hadidy, Amro; Shafy, Mohamed A.; Kamal, Saif; Bendary, Mohamed; Talviste, Grete; Angoulvant, Denis; Boccara, Franck; Cariou, Bertrand; Carreau, Valérie; Carrie, Alain; Charrieres, Sybil; Cottin, Yves; Di-Fillipo, Mathilde; Ducluzeau, Pierre H.; Dulong, Sonia; Durlach, Vincent; Farnier, Michel; Ferrari, Emile; Ferrieres, Dorota; Ferrieres, Jean; Gallo, Antonio; Hankard, Regis; Inamo, Jocelyne; Lemale, Julie; Moulin, Philippe; Paillard, François; Peretti, Noel; Perrin, Agnès; Pradignac, Alain; Rabes, Jean P.; Rigalleau, Vincent; Sultan, Ariane; Schiele, François; Tounian, Patrick; Valero, René; Verges, Bruno; Yelnik, Cécile; Ziegler, Olivier; Haack, Ira A.; Schmidt, Nina; Dressel, Alexander; Klein, Isabel; Christmann, Jutta; Sonntag, Antonia; Stumpp, Christine; Boger, Diana; Biedermann, Dana; Usme, Monica M. N.; Beil, F. Ulrich; Klose, Gerald; König, Christel; Gouni-Berthold, Ioanna; Otte, Britta; Böll, Gereon; Kirschbaum, Anja; Merke, Jürgen; Scholl, Johannes; Segiet, Thomas; Gebauer, Marco; Predica, Florentina; Mayer, Manfred; Leistikow, Frank; Füllgraf-Horst, Sabine; Müller, Cornelius; Schüler, Melanie; Wiener, Judith; Hein, Konrad; Baumgartner, Peter; Kopf, Stefan; Busch, Reinhold; Schömig, Michael; Matthias, Stephan; Allendorf-Ostwald, Nicole; Fink, Bruno; Böhm, Dieter; Jäkel, Alexander; Koschker, Ann-Cathrin; Schweizer, Rüdiger; Vogt, Anja; Parhofer, Klaus; König, Wolfgang; Reinhard, Wibke; Bäßler, Andrea; Stadelmann, Alexander; Schrader, Volker; Katzmann, Julius; Tarr, Adrienne; Steinhagen-Thiessen, Elisabeth; Kassner, Ursula; Paulsen, Gerret; Homberger, Jürgen; Zemmrich, Claudia; Seeger, Wolfgang; Biolik, Kathrin; Deiss, Dorothee; Richter, Corinna; Pantchechnikova, Elina; Dorn, Elena; Schatz, Ulrike; Julius, Ulrich; Spens, Antje; Wiesner, Tobias; Scholl, Michael; Rizos, Christos V.; Sakkas, Nikolaos; Elisaf, Moses; Skoumas, Ioannis; Tziomalos, Konstantinos; Rallidis, Loukianos; Kotsis, Vasileios; Doumas, Michalis; Athyros, Vasileios; Skalidis, Emmanouil; Kolovou, Genovefa; Garoufi, Anastasi

Relation of Lipoprotein(a) Levels to Incident Type 2 Diabetes and Modification by Alirocumab Treatment

none1691siOBJECTIVE: In observational data, lower levels of lipoprotein(a) have been associated with greater prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Whether pharmacologic lowering of lipoprotein(a) influences incident type 2 diabetes is unknown. We determined the relationship of lipoprotein(a) concentration with incident type 2 diabetes and effects of treatment with alirocumab, a PCSK9 inhibitor. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial alirocumab was compared with placebo in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Incident diabetes was determined from laboratory, medication, and adverse event data. RESULTS: Among 13,480 patients without diabetes at baseline, 1,324 developed type 2 diabetes over a median 2.7 years. Median baseline lipoprotein(a) was 21.9 mg/dL. With placebo, 10 mg/dL lower baseline lipoprotein(a) was associated with hazard ratio 1.04 (95% CI 1.02-1.06, P < 0.001) for incident type 2 diabetes. Alirocumab reduced lipoprotein(a) by a median 23.2% with greater absolute reductions from higher baseline levels and no overall effect on incident type 2 diabetes (hazard ratio 0.95, 95% CI 0.85-1.05). At low baseline lipoprotein(a) levels, alirocumab tended to reduce incident type 2 diabetes, while at high baseline lipoprotein(a) alirocumab tended to increase incident type 2 diabetes compared with placebo (treatment-baseline lipoprotein(a) interaction P = 0.006). In the alirocumab group, a 10 mg/dL decrease in lipoprotein(a) from baseline was associated with hazard ratio 1.07 (95% CI 1.03-1.12; P = 0.0002) for incident type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute coronary syndrome, baseline lipoprotein(a) concentration associated inversely with incident type 2 diabetes. Alirocumab had neutral overall effect on incident type 2 diabetes. However, treatment-related reductions in lipoprotein(a), more pronounced from high baseline levels, were associated with increased risk of incident type 2 diabetes. Whether these findings pertain to other therapies that reduce lipoprotein(a) is undetermined.restrictedSchwartz G.G.; Szarek M.; Bittner V.A.; Bhatt D.L.; Diaz R.; Goodman S.G.; Jukema J.W.; Loy M.; Manvelian G.; Pordy R.; White H.D.; Steg P.G. ODYSSEY OUTCOMES Committees and Investigators: Gregory G Schwartz, Philippe Gabriel Steg, Deepak L Bhatt, Vera A Bittner, Rafael Diaz, Shaun G Goodman, Robert A Harrington, J Wouter Jukema, Michael Szarek, Harvey D White, Andreas M Zeiher, Pierluigi Tricoci, Matthew T Roe, Kenneth W Mahaffey, Jay M Edelberg, Corinne Hanotin, Guillaume Lecorps, Angèle Moryusef, Robert Pordy, William J Sasiela, Jean-François Tamby, Philip E Aylward, Heinz Drexel, Peter Sinnaeve, Mirza Dilic, Renato D Lopes, Nina N Gotcheva, Juan-Carlos Prieto, Huo Yong, Patricio López-Jaramillo, Ivan Pećin, Zeljko Reiner, Petr Ostadal, Margus Viigimaa, Markku S Nieminen, Vakhtang Chumburidze, Nikolaus Marx, Nicolas Danchin, Evangelos Liberopoulos, Pablo Carlos Montenegro Valdovinos, Hung-Fat Tse, Robert Gabor Kiss, Denis Xavier, Doron Zahger, Marco Valgimigli, Takeshi Kimura, Hyo Soo Kim, Sang-Hyun Kim, Andrejs Erglis, Aleksandras Laucevicius, Sasko Kedev, Khalid Yusoff, Gabriel Arturo Ramos López, Marco Alings, Sigrun Halvorsen, Roger M Correa Flores, Andrzej Budaj, Joao Morais, Maria Dorobantu, Yuri Karpov, Arsen D Ristic, Terrance Chua, Jan Murin, Zlatko Fras, Anthony J Dalby, José Tuñón, H Asita de Silva, Emil Hagström, Ulf Landmesser, Chern-En Chiang, Piyamitr Sritara, Sema Guneri, Alexander Parkhomenko, Kausik K Ray, Patrick M Moriarty, Robert Vogel, Bernard Chaitman, Sheryl F Kelsey, Anders G Olsson, Jean-Lucien Rouleau, Maarten L Simoons, Karen Alexander, Chiara Meloni, Robert Rosenson, Eric J G Sijbrands, Pierluigi Tricoci, John H Alexander, Luciana Armaganijan, Akshay Bagai, Maria Cecilia Bahit, J Matthew Brennan, Shaun Clifton, Adam D DeVore, Shalonda Deloatch, Sheila Dickey, Keith Dombrowski, Grégory Ducrocq, Zubin Eapen, Patricia Endsley, Arleen Eppinger, Robert W Harrison, Connie Ng Hess, Mark A Hlatky, Joseph Dedrick Jordan, Joshua W Knowles, Bradley J Kolls, David F Kong, Sergio Leonardi, Linda Lillis, David J Maron, Jill Marcus, Robin Mathews, Rajendra H Mehta, Robert J Mentz, Humberto Graner Moreira, Chetan B Patel, Sabrina Bernardez-Pereira, Lynn Perkins, Thomas J Povsic, Etienne Puymirat, William Schuyler Jones, Bimal R Shah, Matthew W Sherwood, Kenya Stringfellow, Darin Sujjavanich, Mustafa Toma, Charlene Trotter, Sean Van Diepen, Matthew D Wilson, Andrew T Yan, Lilia B Schiavi, Marcelo Garrido, Andrés F Alvarisqueta, Sonia A Sassone, Anselmo P Bordonava, Alberto E Alves De Lima, Jorge M Schmidberg, Ernesto A Duronto, Orlando C Caruso, Leonardo P Novaretto, Miguel Angel Hominal, Oscar R Montaña, Alberto Caccavo, Oscar A Gomez Vilamajo, Alberto J Lorenzatti, Luis R Cartasegna, Gustavo A Paterlini, Ignacio J Mackinnon, Guillermo D Caime, Marcos Amuchastegui, Oscar Salomone, Oscar R Codutti, Horacio O Jure, Julio O E Bono, Adrian D Hrabar, Julio A Vallejos, Rodolfo A Ahuad Guerrero, Federico Novoa, Cristian A Patocchi, Cesar J Zaidman, Maria E Giuliano, Ricardo D Dran, Marisa L Vico, Gabriela S Carnero, Pablo N Guzman, Juan C Medrano Allende, Daniela F Garcia Brasca, Miguel H Bustamante Labarta, Sebastian Nani, Eduardo D S Blumberg, Hugo R Colombo, Alberto Liberman, Victorino Fuentealba, Hector L Luciardi, Gabriel D Waisman, Mario A Berli, Ruben O Garcia Duran, Horacio G Cestari, Hugo A Luquez, Jorge A Giordano, Silvia S Saavedra, Gerardo Zapata, Osvaldo Costamagna, Susana Llois, Jonathon H Waites, Nicholas Collins, Allan Soward, Chris L S Hii, James Shaw, Margaret A Arstall, John Horowitz, Daniel Ninio, James F Rogers, David Colquhoun, Romulo E Oqueli Flores, Philip Roberts-Thomson, Owen Raffel, Sam J Lehman, Constantine Aroney, Steven G M Coverdale, Paul J Garrahy, Gregory Starmer, Mark Sader, Patrick A Carroll, Ronald Dick, Robert Zweiker, Uta Hoppe, Kurt Huber, Rudolf Berger, Georg Delle-Karth, Bernhard Frey, Franz Weidinger, Dirk Faes, Kurt Hermans, Bruno Pirenne, Attilio Leone, Etienne Hoffer, Mathias C M Vrolix, Luc De Wolf, Bart Wollaert, Marc Castadot, Karl Dujardin, Christophe Beauloye, Geert Vervoort, Harry Striekwold, Carl Convens, John Roosen, Emanuele Barbato, Marc Claeys, Frank Cools, Ibrahim Terzic, Fahir Barakovic, Zlatko Midzic, Belma Pojskic, Emir Fazlibegovic, Mehmed Kulić, Azra Durak-Nalbantic, Dusko Vulic, Adis Muslibegovic, Boris Goronja, Gilmar Reis, Luciano Sousa, Jose C Nicolau, Flavio E Giorgeto, Ricardo P Silva, Lilia Nigro Maia, Rafael Rech, Paulo R F Rossi, Maria José A G Cerqueira, Norberto Duda, Renato Kalil, Adrian Kormann, José Antonio M Abrantes, Pedro Pimentel Filho, Ana Priscila Soggia, Mayler O N de Santos, Fernando Neuenschwander, Luiz C Bodanese, Yorghos L Michalaros, Freddy G Eliaschewitz, Maria H Vidotti, Paulo E Leaes, Roberto V Botelho, Sergio Kaiser, Euler Roberto Fernandes Manenti, Dalton B Precoma, Jose C Moura Jorge, Pedro G Silva, Jose A Silveira, Wladmir Saporito, Jose A Marin-Neto, Gilson S Feitosa, Luiz Eduardo F Ritt, Juliana A de Souza, Fernando Costa, Weimar K S B Souza, Helder J L Reis, Leandro Machado, José Carlos Aidar Ayoub, Georgi V Todorov, Fedya P Nikolov, Elena S Velcheva, Maria L Tzekova, Haralambi O Benov, Stanislav L Petranov, Haralin S Tumbev, Nina S Shehova-Yankova, Dimitar T Markov, Dimitar H Raev, Mihail N Mollov, Kostadin N Kichukov, Katya A Ilieva-Pandeva, Raya Ivanova, Maryana Gospodinov, Valentina M Mincheva, Petar V Lazov, Bojidar I Dimov, Manohara Senaratne, James Stone, Jan Kornder, Stephen Pearce, Danielle Dion, Daniel Savard, Yves Pesant, Amritanshu Pandey, Simon Robinson, Gilbert Gosselin, Saul Vizel, Gordon Hoag, Ronald Bourgeois, Anne Morisset, Eric Sabbah, Bruce Sussex, Simon Kouz, Paul MacDonald, Ariel Diaz, Nicolas Michaud, David Fell, Raymond Leung, Tycho Vuurmans, Christopher Lai, Frank Nigro, Richard Davies, Gustavo Nogareda, Ram Vijayaraghavan, John Ducas, Serge Lepage, Shamir Mehta, James Cha, Robert Dupuis, Peter Fong, Sohrab Lutchmedial, Josep Rodes-Cabau, Hussein Fadlallah, David Cleveland, Thao Huynh, Iqbal Bata, Adnan Hameed, Cristian Pincetti, Sergio Potthoff, Monica Acevedo, Arnoldo Aguirre, Margarita Vejar, Mario Yañez, Guillermo Araneda, Mauricio Fernandez, Luis Perez, Paola Varleta, Fernando Florenzano, Laura Huidobro, Carlos A Raffo, Claudia Olivares, Leonardo Nahuelpan, Humberto Montecinos, Jiyan Chen, Yugang Dong, Weijian Huang, Jianzhong Wang, Shi'An Huang, Zhuhua Yao, Xiang Li, Lan Cui, Wenhua Lin, Yuemin Sun, Jingfeng Wang, Jianping Li, Xuelian Zhang, Hong Zhu, Dandan Chen, Lan Huang, Shaohong Dong, Guohai Su, Biao Xu, Xi Su, Xiaoshu Cheng, Jinxiu Lin, Wenxia Zong, Huanming Li, Yi Feng, Dingli Xu, Xinchun Yang, Yuannan Ke, Xuefeng Lin, Zheng Zhang, Zeqi Zheng, Zhurong Luo, Yundai Chen, Chunhua Ding, Yi Zhong, Yang Zheng, Xiaodong Li, Daoquan Peng, Shuiping Zhao, Ying Li, Xuebo Liu, Meng Wei, Shaowen Liu, Yihua Yu, Baiming Qu, Weihong Jiang, Yujie Zhou, Xingsheng Zhao, Zuyi Yuan, Ying Guo, Xiping Xu, Xubo Shi, Junbo Ge, Guosheng Fu, Feng Bai, Weiyi Fang, Xiling Shou, Xiangjun Yang, Jian'An Wang, Meixiang Xiang, Yingxian Sun, Qinghua Lu, Ruiyan Zhang, Jianhua Zhu, Yizhou Xu, Zhongcai Fan, Tianchang Li, Chun Wu, Nicolas Jaramillo, Gregorio Sanchez Vallejo, Diana C Luna Botia, Rodrigo Botero Lopez, Dora I Molina De Salazar, Alberto J Cadena Bonfanti, Carlos Cotes Aroca, Juan Diego Higuera, Marco Blanquicett, Sandra I Barrera Silva, Henry J Garcia Lozada, Julian A Coronel Arroyo, Jose L Accini Mendoza, Ricardo L Fernandez Ruiz, Alvaro M Quintero Ossa, Fernando G Manzur Jatin, Aristides Sotomayor Herazo, Jeffrey Castellanos Parada, Rafael Suarez Arambula, Miguel A Urina Triana, Angela M Fernandez Trujillo, Maja Strozzi, Siniša Car, Melita Jerić, Davor Miličić, Martina Lovrić Benčić, Hrvoje Pintarić, Đeiti Prvulović, Jozica Šikić, Viktor Peršić, Dean Mileta, Kresimir Štambuk, Zdravko Babić, Vjekoslav Tomulic, Josip Lukenda, Stanka Mejic-Krstulovic, Boris Starcevic, Jindrich Spinar, David Horak, Zdenek Velicka, Josef Stasek, David Alan, Vilma Machova, Ales Linhart, Vojtech Novotny, Vladimir Kaucak, Richard Rokyta, Robert Naplava, Zdenek Coufal, Vera Adamkova, Ivo Podpera, Jiri Zizka, Zuzana Motovska, Ivana Marusincova, Premysl Svab, Petr Heinc, Jiri Kuchar, Petr Povolny, Jiri Matuska, Steen H Poulsen, Bent Raungaard, Peter Clemmensen, Lia E Bang, Ole May, Morten Bøttcher, Jens D Hove, Lars Frost, Gunnar Gislason, John Larsen, Peter Betton Johansen, Flemming Hald, Peter Johansen, Jørgen Jeppesen, Tonny Nielsen, Kjeld S Kristensen, Piotr Maria Walichiewicz, Jens D Lomholdt, Ib C Klausen, Peter Kaiser Nielsen, Flemming Davidsen, Lars Videbaek, Mai Soots, Veiko Vahula, Anu Hedman, Üllar Soopõld, Kaja Märtsin, Tiina Jurgenson, Arved Kristjan, Juhani K Airaksinen, Saila Vikman, Heikki Huikuri, Pierre Coste, Emile Ferrari, Olivier Morel, Gilles Montalescot, Jacques Machecourt, Gilles Barone-Rochette, Jacques Mansourati, Yves Cottin, Florence Leclercq, Abdelkader Belhassane, Nicolas Delarche, Franck Boccara, Franck Paganelli, Jérôme Clerc, Francois Schiele, Victor Aboyans, Vincent Probst, Jacques Berland, Thierry Lefèvre, Bernard Citron, Irakli Khintibidze, Tamaz Shaburishvili, Zurab Pagava, Ramaz Ghlonti, Zaza Lominadze, George Khabeishvili, Rayyan Hemetsberger, Kemala Edward, Ursula Rauch-Kröhnert, Matthias Stratmann, Karl-Friedrich Appel, Ekkehard Schmidt, Heyder Omran, Christoph Stellbrink, Thomas Dorsel, Emmanouil Lianopoulos, Hans Friedrich Vöhringer, Roger Marx, Andreas Zirlik, Detlev Schellenberg, Thomas Heitzer, Ulrich Laufs, Christian Werner, Nikolaus Marx, Stephan Gielen, Sebastian Nuding, Bernhard Winkelmann, Steffen Behrens, Karsten Sydow, Mahir Karakas, Gregor Simonis, Thomas Muenzel, Nikos Werner, Stefan Leggewie, Dirk Böcker, Rüdiger Braun-Dullaeus, Nicole Toursarkissian, Michael Jeserich, Matthias Weißbrodt, Tim Schaeufele, Joachim Weil, Heinz Völler, Johannes Waltenberger, Mohammed Natour, Susanne Schmitt, Dirk Müller-Wieland, Stephan Steiner, Lothar Heidenreich, Elmar Offers, Uwe Gremmler, Holger Killat, Werner Rieker, Sotiris Patsilinakos, Athanasios Kartalis, Athanassios Manolis, Dimitrios Sionis, Geargios Chachalis, Ioannis Skoumas, Vasilios Athyros, Panagiotis Vardas, Frangkiskos Parthenakis, Dimitrios Alexopoulos, Georgios Hahalis, John Lekakis, Apostolos Hatzitolios, Sergio R Fausto Ovando, Juan L Arango Benecke, Edgar R Rodriguez De Leon, Bryan P Y Yan, David C W Siu, Tibor Turi, Bela Merkely, Imre Ungi, Geza Lupkovics, Lajos Nagy, András Katona, István Édes, Gábor Müller, Iván Horvath, Tibor Kapin, Zsolt Szigeti, József Faluközy, Mukund Kumbla, Manjinder Sandhu, Sharath Annam, Naveen Reddy Proddutur, Reddy Regella, Rajendra K Premchand, Ajaykumar Mahajan, Sudhir Pawar, Atul D Abhyanakar, Prafulla Kerkar, Ravishankar A Govinda, Abraham Oomman, Dhurjati Sinha, Sachin N Patil, Dhiman Kahali, Jitendra Sawhney, Abhijeet B Joshi, Sanjeev Chaudhary, Pankaj Harkut, Santanu Guha, Sanjay Porwal, Srimannarayana Jujjuru, Ramesh B Pothineni, Minguel R Monteiro, Aziz Khan, Shamanna S Iyengar, Jasprakash Singh Grewal, Manoj Chopda, Mahesh C Fulwani, Aparna Patange, Patil Sachin, Vijay K Chopra, Naresh K Goyal, Rituparna Shinde, Gajendra V Manakshe, Nitin Patki, Sumeet Sethi, Vengatesh Munusamy, Sunil Karna, Sunil Thanvi, Srilakshmi Adhyapak, Chandrakant Patil, Ulhas Pandurangi, Rishabh Mathur, Jugal Gupta, Suhas Kalashetti, Ajit Bhagwat, Bagirath Raghuraman, Shiv Kumar Yerra, Prasant Bhansali, Rohidas Borse, Patil Rahul, Srihari Das, Vinay Kumar, Jabir Abdullakutty, Shireesh Saathe, Priya Palimkar, Shireesh Sathe, Shaul Atar, Michael Shechter, Morris Mosseri, Yaron Arbel, Chorin Ehud, Havakuk Ofer, Chaim Lotan, Uri Rosenschein, Amos Katz, Yaakov Henkin, Adi Francis, Marc Klutstein, Eugenia Nikolsky, Robert Zukermann, Yoav Turgeman, Majdi Halabi, Alon Marmor, Ran Kornowski, Michael Jonas, Offer Amir, Yonathan Hasin, Yoseph Rozenman, Shmuel Fuchs, Vered Zvi, Osamah Hussein, Dov Gavish, Zvi Vered, Yoseph Caraco, Mazen Elias, Naveh Tov, Efrat Wolfovitz, Michael Lishner, Nizar Elias, Giancarlo Piovaccari, Annamaria De Pellegrin, Raffaella Garbelotto, Gabriele Guardigli, Valgimigli Marco, Giovanni Licciardello, Carla Auguadro, Filippo Scalise, Claudio Cuccia, Alessandro Salvioni, Giuseppe Musumeci, Michelle Senni, Paolo Calabrò, Salvatore Novo, Pompilio Faggiano, Marco Metra, Nicoletta B De Cesare, Sergio Berti, Claudio Cavallini, Enrico Puccioni, Marcello Galvani, Maurizio Tespili, Piermarco Piatti, Michela Palvarini, Giuseppe De Luca, Roberto Violini, Alessandro De Leo, Zoran Olivari, Pasquale Perrone Filardi, Maurizio Ferratini, Vittorio Racca, Kazuoki Dai, Yuji Shimatani, Haruo Kamiya, Kenji Ando, Yoshihiro Takeda, Yoshihiro Morino, Yoshiki Hata, Kazuo Kimura, Koichi Kishi, Ichiro Michishita, Hiroki Uehara, Toshinori Higashikata, Atsushi Hirayama, Keiji Hirooka, Yasuji Doi, Satoru Sakagami, Shuichi Taguchi, Akihiro Koike, Hiroyuki Fujinaga, Shinji Koba, Ken Kozuma, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Yujiro Ono, Masatoshi Shimizu, Yousuke Katsuda, Atsuyuki Wada, Toshiro Shinke, Takeshi Kimura, Junya Ako, Kenshi Fujii, Toshiyuki Takahashi, Tomohiro Sakamoto, Koichi Nakao, Yutaka Furukawa, Hiroshi Sugino, Ritsu Tamura, Toshiaki Mano, Masaaki Uematsu, Noriaki Utsu, Kashima Ito, Takuya Haraguchi, Katsuhiko Sato, Yasunori Ueda, Akira Nishibe, Kazuteru Fujimoto, Motomaru Masutani, Jung Han Yoon, Hack-Lyoung Kim, Hun Sik Park, In-Ho Chae, Moo Hyun Kim, Myung Ho Jeong, Seungwoon Rha, Chongjin Kim, Hyo-Soo Kim, Hae Young Kim, Taekjong Hong, Seung-Jea Tahk, Youngkwon Kim, Arija Busmane, Natalija Pontaga, Aldis Strelnieks, Iveta Mintale, Iveta Sime, Zaneta Petrulioniene, Roma Kavaliauskiene, Ruta Jurgaitiene, Gintare Sakalyte, Rimvydas Slapikas, Sigute Norkiene, Nerijus Misonis, Aleksandras Kibarskis, Raimondas Kubilius, Stojko Bojovski, Nensi Lozance, Aleksandar Kjovkaroski, Snezana Doncovska, Tiong Kiam Ong, Sazzli Kasim, Oteh Maskon, Balachandran Kandasamy, Houng B Liew, Wan Mohd Izani Wan Mohamed, Armando García Castillo, Jorge Carrillo Calvillo, Pedro Fajardo Campos, Juan Carlos Núñez Fragoso, Edmundo Alfredo Bayram Llamas, Marco Antonio Alcocer Gamba, Jaime Carranza Madrigal, Luis Gerardo González Salas, Enrique López Rosas, Belinda González Díaz, Eduardo Salcido Vázquez, Alfredo Nacoud Ackar, Guillermo Antonio Llamas Esperón, Carlos Rodolfo Martínez Sánchez, María Guerrero De Leon, Rodrigo Suarez Otero, Guillermo Fanghänel Salmón, Jesús Antonio Pérez Ríos, José Angel Garza Ruíz, Robert W Breedveld, Margriet Feenema-Aardema, Alida Borger-Van Der Burg, Pieter A M Hoogslag, Harry Suryapranata, Antonius Oomen, Paulus Van Haelst, Jacobijne J Wiersma, Dirk Basart, Ruud M A Van Der Wal, Peter Zwart, Pascalle Monraats, Henricus Van Kesteren, Ioannis Karalis, Johan Jukema, Gerardus J E Verdel, Bart R G Brueren, Roland P T Troquay, Eric P Viergever, Nadea Y Y Al-Windy, Gerard L Bartels, Jan H Cornel, Walter R M Hermans, Johannes P R Herrman, Robert J Bos, Reginald G E J Groutars, Coenraad C Van Der Zwaan, Refik Kaplan, Raymond Lionarons, Eelko Ronner, Bjorn E Groenemeijer, Patrick N A Bronzwaer, Anho A H Liem, Bernard J W M Rensing, Marcel J J A Bokern, Remco Nijmeijer, Ferry M R J Hersbach, Frank F Willems, Antonius T M Gosselink, Saman Rasoul, John Elliott, Gerard Wilkins, Raewyn Fisher, Douglas Scott, Hamish Hart, Ralph Stewart, Scott Harding, Ian Ternouth, Nicholas Fisher, Samuel Wilson, Denise Aitken, Russell Anscombe, Laura Davidson, Tadeusz Tomala, Ottar Nygård, Jon Arne Sparby, Kjell Andersen, Lars Gullestad, Jarle Jortveit, Peter S Munk, Erlend Gyllensten Singsaas, Ulf Hurtig, Jorge R Calderon Ticona, Julio R Durand Velasquez, Sandra A Negron Miguel, Enrique S Sanabria Perez, Jesus M Carrion Chambilla, Carlos A Chavez Ayala, Reynaldo P Castillo Leon, Rolando J Vargas Gonzales, Jose D Hernandez Zuniga, Luis A Camacho Cosavalente, Jorge E Bravo Mannucci, Javier Heredia Landeo, Nassip C Llerena Navarro, Yudy M Roldan Concha, Víctor E Rodriguez Chavez, Henry A Anchante Hernandez, Carlos A Zea Nunez, Walter Mogrovejo Ramos, Arthur Ferrolino, Rosa Allyn G Sy, Louie Tirador, Rody G Sy, Generoso Matiga, Raul Martin Coching, Alisa Bernan, Gregorio Rogelio, Dante D Morales, Edgar Tan, Dennis Jose Sulit, Adrian Wlodarczak, Krystyna Jaworska, Grzegorz Skonieczny, Lidia Pawlowicz, Pawel Wojewoda, Benita Busz-Papiez, Janusz Bednarski, Aleksander Goch, Pawel Staneta, Elzbieta Dulak, Krzysztof Saminski, Wlodzimierz Krasowski, Wanda Sudnik, Aleksander Zurakowski, Marcin Skorski, Beata Miklaszewicz, Jacek Kubica, Jan Andrzej Lipko, Edyta Kostarska-Srokosz, Marek Piepiorka, Anna Drzewiecka, Ryszard Sciborski, Arkadiusz Stasiewski, Tomasz Blicharski, Leszek Bystryk, Michal Szpajer, Marek Korol, Tomasz Czerski, Ewa Mirek-Bryniarska, Jacek Gniot, Andrzej Lubinski, Jerzy Gorny, Edward Franek, Grzegorz Raczak, Hanna Szwed, Pedro Monteiro, Jose Mesquita Bastos, Helder H Pereira, Dinis Martins, Filipe Seixo, Carlos Mendonça, Ana Botelho, Francisca Caetano, Bogdan Minescu, Octavian Istratoaie, Dan N Tesloianu, Gabriel Cristian, Silviu Dumitrescu, Cristian G C Podoleanu, Mircea C A Constantinescu, Cristina M Bengus, Constantin Militaru, Doina Rosu, Irinel R Parepa, Adrian V Matei, Tom M Alexandru, Mihaela Malis, Ioan Coman, Rodica Stanescu-Cioranu, Doina Dimulescu, Yury Shvarts, Olga Orlikova, Zhanna Kobalava, Olga L Barbarash, Valentin Markov, Nadezhda Lyamina, Alexander Gordienko, Konstantin Zrazhevsky, Alexander Y Vishnevsky, Victor Gurevich, Raisa Stryuk, Nikita V Lomakin, Igor Bokarev, Tatiana Khlevchuk, Sergey Shalaev, Larisa Khaisheva, Petr Chizhov, Inna Viktorova, Natalya Osokina, Vladimir Shchekotov, Evgenia Akatova, Galina Chumakova, Igor Libov, Mikhail I Voevoda, Tatyana V Tretyakova, Evgeny Baranov, Sergey Shustov, Sergey Yakushin, Ivan Gordeev, Niiaz Khasanov, Olga Reshetko, Tatiana Sotnikova, Olga Molchanova, Konstantin Nikolaev, Liudmila Gapon, Elena Baranova, Zaur Shogenov, Elena Kosmachova, Yuriy Karpov, Anton Povzun, Liudmila Egorova, Vadim V Tyrenko, Igor G Ivanov, Masterov Ilya, Sergey Kanorsky, Dragan Simic, Nikola Ivanovic, Goran Davidovic, Nebojsa Tasic, Milika R Asanin, Stevo Stojic, Svetlana R Apostolovic, Stevan Ilic, Biljana Putnikovic Tosic, Aleksandar Stankovic, Aleksandra Arandjelovic, Slavica Radovanovic, Branislava Todic, Jovan Balinovac, Dragan V Dincic, Petar Seferovic, Ana Karadzic, Slobodan Dodic, Sinisa Dimkovic, Tamara Jakimov, Kian-Keong Poh, Hean Yee Ong, Justin Tang I-Shing, Karol Micko, Jan Nociar, Daniel Pella, Peter Fulop, Marian Hranai, Juraj Palka, Juraj Mazur, Ivan Majercák, Andrej Dzupina, František Fazekas, Jozef Gonsorcik, Viliam Bugan, Juraj Selecky, Gabriel Kamensky, Jaroslava Strbova, Rudolf Smik, Andrej Dukat, Peter Olexa, Ivan Žuran, Janez Poklukar, Nataša Černič Šuligoj, Matija Cevc, Henry P Cyster, Naresh Ranjith, Clive Corbett, Junaid Bayat, Ellen Makoali Makotoko, Hendrik du Toit Theron, Ilse E Kapp, Matthys M de V Basson, Hanlie Lottering, Dina Van Aswegen, Louis J Van Zyl, Peter J Sebastian, Thayabran Pillay, Jan A Saaiman, Patrick J Commerford, Soraya Cassimjee, Garda Riaz, Iftikhar O Ebrahim, Mahomed Sarvan, Joseph H Mynhardt, Helmuth Reuter, Rajendran Moodley, Manuel Vida, Angel R Cequier Fillat, Vicente Bodí Peris, Francisco Fuentes Jimenez, Francisco Marín, Jose M Cruz Fernández, Rafael Jesus Hidalgo Urbano, Blas Gil-Extremera, Pablo Toledo, Fernando Worner Diz, David Garcia-Dorado, Andres Iñiguez, José Tuñón Fernández, Jose R Gonzalez-Juanatey, Javier Fernandez Portales, Fernando Civeira Murillo, Laia Matas Pericas, Jose Luis Zamorano, Manuel De Mora Martin, Jordi Bruguera Cortada, Joaquin J Alonso Martin, Jose Maria Serrano Antolin, José R De Berrazueta Fernández, José Antonio Vázquez de Prada, Jose Francisco Díaz Fernández, José Alberto García Lledó, Juan Cosín Sal

Lipoprotein(a) and Benefit of PCSK9 Inhibition in Patients With Nominally Controlled LDL Cholesterol

International audienceBackground: Guidelines recommend nonstatin lipid-lowering agents in patients at very high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) if low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) remains ≥70 mg/dL on maximum tolerated statin treatment. It is uncertain if this approach benefits patients with LDL-C near 70 mg/dL. Lipoprotein(a) levels may influence residual risk.Objectives: In a post hoc analysis of the ODYSSEY Outcomes (Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab) trial, the authors evaluated the benefit of adding the proprotein subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor alirocumab to optimized statin treatment in patients with LDL-C levels near 70 mg/dL. Effects were evaluated according to concurrent lipoprotein(a) levels.Methods: ODYSSEY Outcomes compared alirocumab with placebo in 18,924 patients with recent acute coronary syndromes receiving optimized statin treatment. In 4,351 patients (23.0%), screening or randomization LDL-C was 13.7 mg/dL or ≤13.7 mg/dL; corresponding adjusted treatment hazard ratios were 0.82 (95% CI: 0.72-0.92) and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.75-1.06), with Pinteraction = 0.43.Conclusions: In patients with recent acute coronary syndromes and LDL-C near 70 mg/dL on optimized statin therapy, proprotein subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibition provides incremental clinical benefit only when lipoprotein(a) concentration is at least mildly elevated. (ODYSSEY Outcomes: Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab; NCT01663402)